. >> are we going to see higher taxes after we saw higher taxes at the beginning of the year? >> no, no, you're not, and i think the president probably does know that, but we're not going to see higher taxes. i don't think anybody thinks that it's a good idea to keep pay more taxes when you don't fix the spending problem. i can't tell you how many people have come to me that said, eric, if you fix the problem, i don't mind contributing more, but we haven't even begun to fix the problem and that's the issue. on taxes, maria, i think we do have an opportunity to engage in that kind of discussion. we've got this sequestration that will hit march 1st. we have a continuing resolution that will come at the end of that month. there are all kinds of trigger points, if you will, that will facilitate more of these discussions and hopefully will lead to a much broader solution than just going about these kind of discretionary cuts. >> let me get your take on the low hanging fruit in terms of spending cuts. medicare, medicaid, social security, health care costs, the drivers of the debt. w